Kick
A kick in golf is the way a ball bounces or deflects after it lands or strikes an object such as a tree, rock, or sprinkler head. Players and commentators describe a kick as good when the ball moves toward the target and bad when it moves away from it.
What is a kick in golf?
A kick is the unpredictable post-landing motion of a golf ball. The moment a ball touches down, its forward momentum and spin meet the surface beneath it, and the combination sends the ball bouncing forward, sideways, or sometimes backward. Where the ball comes to rest depends almost entirely on that first bounce or two, which golfers call the kick.
The term shows up constantly in golf commentary and casual on-course conversation. A player might hit a perfectly aimed approach only to watch it land on a slope and bound into the rough. Someone else might pull a tee shot toward the trees, then catch a friendly kick off a branch back into the fairway.
Because the game is played across irregular terrain, kicks are part of golf, and a round can be decided by which way the ball bounced as often as by how well it was struck. The word “kick” also appears in two related but distinct golf terms covered later: kick point and kick-in.
How a kick happens
When a ball lands, it carries forward momentum from the swing and rotational spin imparted by the clubface. These two forces meet the ground, and whatever the ground happens to be doing in that spot decides what happens next. On a firm, flat fairway, the ball bounces predictably forward. Slopes and mounds deflect it sideways or send it tumbling in unexpected directions, and the harder the surface beneath, the harder it becomes to predict what will happen next.
Several common features on a golf course produce distinctive kicks:
- Fairway slopes redirect the ball downhill, sometimes adding distance and sometimes pulling it off line.
- Firm or dry rough can produce a forward skip; soft, lush rough kills the ball on impact.
- Sprinkler heads, drainage covers, and cart paths cause hard deflections that rarely send the ball where the player wanted.
- Trees and branches can stop a ball cold or send it kicking sideways without warning.
- Greenside mounds and the false fronts of greens often kick balls back toward the fairway.
The firmer the surface and the lower the ball’s trajectory, the more energy is carried into the kick. High, soft shots tend to land with less roll-out and kick less; low, running shots are at the mercy of whatever they meet.
Good kicks vs. bad kicks
Good kicks move the ball toward a better position, usually closer to the fairway or the green. Bad kicks send it the other way, into rough, sand, water, or out of bounds when the shot had looked decent.
Two specific terms describe lucky kicks. A “member’s bounce” refers to a fortunate kick that turns a poor shot into a playable lie, named for the way regular members of a course seem to know exactly where the helpful slopes are. A “Goldie bounce” is similar slang for a kick that rescues a ball from apparent trouble.
Most kicks fall somewhere between good and bad, neither rescuing the shot nor ruining it. The memorable ones are at the extremes: the approach that kicked five feet from the pin, or the well-struck drive that bounced into a fairway bunker.
Types of kicks
| Type of kick | What happens |
|---|---|
| Forward kick | The ball bounces in the direction of the original shot, usually adding roll-out. |
| Sideways kick | The ball deflects left or right off a slope, mound, or hard object. |
| Backward kick | The ball bounces back toward where it came from, usually after striking a steep slope or vertical object. |
| Skip or skipping kick | Multiple small bounces, common on firm fairways with low-trajectory shots. |
| Ricochet | A sharp, unpredictable deflection off a hard surface like a tree, rock, or cart path. |
What kind of kick a shot produces comes down to the ball’s trajectory and the surface beneath it. A high, soft wedge shot rarely ricochets, while a running 3-wood off the tee often skips several times before settling.
Kick vs. kick point vs. kick-in
Golf uses the word “kick” in three different ways, and they often get confused. Recognising which one a speaker means changes how the conversation reads.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kick | The bounce or deflection of a ball after it lands or strikes an object. |
| Kick point | The area on a golf shaft where the shaft flexes most during the swing, which influences launch angle. Also called the bend point or flex point. |
| Kick-in | Slang for a putt so close to the hole that it is effectively automatic, as if the player could “kick it in.” |
Kick point describes a feature of the shaft itself. Shaft manufacturers classify it as low, mid, or high, with a low kick point producing a higher launch angle and a high kick point producing a lower one. A kick-in has nothing to do with ball flight or equipment. The term describes a putt so short that it will drop with the next stroke regardless of effort.
Why kicks matter on the course
Smart course management accounts for kicks before the shot is even hit. Approach shots into firm greens need to land short to allow for forward bounce; shots into soft, receptive greens can be flown all the way to the flag. Tee shots on doglegs often rely on a fairway slope, kicking the ball around the corner.
Players who walk a course before a round look for the slopes and firm patches that will dictate where shots end up. At the tournament level, kicks regularly decide outcomes: a ball that kicks into a hazard costs strokes; one that kicks toward the hole produces birdies.
Related Golf Terms
- Jail — A position where the ball is in significant trouble with no easy escape.
- Interlocking grip — A grip where the pinky of the trail hand interlocks with the index finger of the lead hand.
- Island green — A green surrounded entirely or mostly by water.
- Juicy lie — A ball sitting up nicely on the grass for an easy shot.
- Iron — A type of club with a metal head used for various distances (1-9 iron).
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a kick and a bounce in golf?
The terms are largely interchangeable. “Bounce” usually describes the physical action of the ball rebounding from a surface, while “kick” emphasises the direction it travels afterward. A commentator might say a ball “took a big bounce and kicked left into the rough.”
Can a player intentionally cause a kick?
Yes, in the sense that experienced players choose trajectories and landing spots to use predictable kicks. Hitting a low running shot into a downslope to gain extra yards is intentional. Once the ball is moving, however, the player has no control over what it does.
What does “took a good kick” mean?
It means the ball bounced or deflected in a way that helped the player, usually moving it closer to the intended target or out of trouble.
Is “kick” the same as “kick point”?
No. A kick describes what the ball does once it lands; the kick point is a feature of a golf shaft that influences launch angle. The two share a word but refer to different concepts.
Sources
- United States Golf Association (USGA). “Rules of Golf.” usga.org. Accessed 2026.
- The R&A. “Rules of Golf and Equipment Standards.” randa.org. Accessed 2026.
- Golf Monthly. “What Is Kick Point In A Golf Shaft?” golfmonthly.com. Accessed 2026.
- Sunday Golf. “The Ultimate Glossary Of Golfing Terms: A-Z.” sundaygolf.com. Accessed 2026.
- 18Birdies. “Golf Terms: The Complete Golfers Glossary.” 18birdies.com. Accessed 2026.
